by Gary Mintchell | Jun 30, 2026 | News, Organizations
I received two not wholly unexpected emails today from an organization with whom I’ve been affiliated and one I devoted much work in the past—MESA International Also known as the Manufacturing Execution Systems Association and the Manufacturing Enterprise Resources Association, this organization of developers and users of software comprising the Level 3 of the Purdue Enterprise Reference Model.
I don’t know when I noticed that the last remaining large sponsor—Rockwell Automation—dropped its sponsorship. That was the end of financial stability. This particular market has been difficult. I believe that until this day the largest competitor is Microsoft Excel. I am saddened. But we move on.
Dear MESA Community,
For more than three decades, MESA International has served as a trusted global community advancing the use of manufacturing technology through collaboration, education, and best practices. The relationships built, the knowledge shared, and the progress made through this community represent a legacy we are deeply proud of.
It is with great respect for that legacy that the MESA International Board of Directors has voted to dissolve the organization effective June 30, 2026.
This was not a decision made lightly. After careful review of the organization’s financial position and operational capacity, the board determined that voluntary dissolution is the responsible and appropriate path forward. We want to be transparent with the broader manufacturing community that has followed and engaged with MESA’s work over the years.
What’s Next for MESA’s Resources
We are pleased to share that the International Society of Automation (ISA) has agreed to serve as the new home for MESA’s assets and content. ISA is a global 501c(3) organization whose standards, including ISA-95 and ISA-88, form the technical foundation of much of MESA’s educational work. MESA’s content, resources, and community programs will be accessible through ISA going forward. Please visit here for more information.
Thank you for your engagement with MESA International over the years. This community has made a real difference in manufacturing operations around the world.
With gratitude,
The MESA International Board of Directors
by Gary Mintchell | Jun 30, 2026 | Manufacturing IT, Operations Management, Organizations
Before I could compile all my news from last week, a subsequent news item superseded this one. Long-time partners The Manufacturing Enterprise Solutions Association International (MESA) and Tech-Clarity, Inc. are once again teaming up for an important survey on manufacturing operations. Unfortunately, MESA just sent a release announcing that they are closing as of today, June 30, 2026.
I’m not surprised. I noticed a few months ago that the last of the major sponsors, Rockwell Automation, have pulled out of sponsorship. There were no longer enough sponsors to finance the organization. I devoted many hours to MESA over the years. I also met many great people. I feel an empty space.
I contacted long-time friend Julie Fraser who assured me this research is still on.
TL;DR—Knowledge Sharing Opportunity: Complete a survey to get the results and learn from other manufacturers
[The Manufacturing Enterprise Solutions Association International (MESA) and ]Tech-Clarity, Inc. invite manufacturers to respond to a new survey on managing manufacturing operations. Responses are confidential, and participants will get a copy of the resulting research report.
Research topics include:
- Why are companies investing in MES/MOM manufacturing operations software (MOS) now?
- What is the business value of these level 3 applications? Are implementations delivering the expected benefits? How long does it take to achieve the benefits?
- How is MES/MOM evolving? What functions such as quality, maintenance, scheduling, and analytics are separate, from one solution provider, or share a common data model? Are these systems hosted on-premise, SaaS, or a hybrid?
- What is the impact of AI at the manufacturing operations level? What are companies doing now and planning? What are they expecting? What benefits are they achieving?
- What are the best practices to maximize value from manufacturing operations software investments? What can we learn from each other? Are AI and MOS applications better together?
Most predictions are for double-digit growth in the MES market this year and beyond. Thus, these questions are pressing for both manufacturers and the solution providers who serve them. The program has five sponsors, each a leading player in this software arena: Critical Manufacturing, Infor, ISE, Parsec Automation LLC, and SAS.
Manufacturing Operations Software (MOS): Tech-Clarity defines MOS as commercial plantwide software (as defined in level 3 of the Purdue model) needed to run a manufacturing facility. MOS includes MES, MOM, and industry-specific capabilities such as eBR and eDHR. It may also encompass associated functions in quality, maintenance, scheduling, inventory, environmental, health, safety, and connected worker. MOS also refers to new approaches, such as factory operating systems, composable manufacturing software, industrial data intelligence/AI, and platforms with applications.
Tech-Clarity’s Julie Fraser and Rick Franzosa are leading the research program, supported by MESA’s Knowledge Committee, headed by Chris Monchinski, and the rich community of five sponsors.
“The desire to leverage AI in manufacturing operations is adding to the allure of having trustworthy manufacturing operations data in context. We see growing interest in ensuring that production IT and OT data, as well as quality, scheduling, maintenance, and worker support data, all flow smoothly. We’re looking to understand the details of how companies want to do that,” says Fraser, Vice President of Research for Operations at Tech-Clarity and MESA’s leader of the Smart Manufacturing Community.
MESA’s International Knowledge Committee Chair Chris Monchinski of InflexionPoint states, “Getting MES or MOM systems ready for AI may have many dimensions. While they are the best foundation for this work at level 3 of the Purdue model, many implementations are not quite ready for the rigors of AI’s data needs.”
“MES has been delivering solid benefits for many years. The question is where manufacturers are focusing their investments and projects, and how AI both forces the need and accelerates progress for these systems,” says Tech-Clarity’s Vice President of Research for Manufacturing, Rick Franzosa.
by Gary Mintchell | Jun 27, 2026 | News
I would guess that few readers know Om Malik. I began reading and appreciating his writing about 30 years ago. I didn’t realize then that he was only a kid. He wrote for Red Herring and Business 2.0. An early blogger, he turned his blog, GigaOm, into a business. He eventually sold the business turning to more thoughtful writing.
He influenced me along with probably thousands of others.
One of his last pieces I have queued up to to post was this one from a couple weeks ago, AI models are having their iPhone moment. What’s Next?
I heard a couple of days ago that he passed away. He was a person of intelligence and generosity. Even though we never met, I am saddened at the loss.
Check out some of his writing. You will be richer for it.
by Gary Mintchell | Jun 25, 2026 | Commentary, News
I’ve lost a day’s productivity today driving into Chicago and back home. The backlog of company news continues to stack. I’ll tackle it tomorrow. First some impressions.
I can’t believe how large the show was this year. Someone told me it was a result of consolidating shows—but that was inaccurate. Show officials told me growth was organic, some due to more international presence (both exhibitors and attendees).
Booths were packed with many interested conversations.
Twenty-eight years attending these as an editor/writer, and I’ve never had so many blown off appointments. Don’t know if this is a trend, but if so it is not a favorable one.
On the other hand, the appointments I had were uniformly useful and interesting.
A lot of robotics. Many wanted to talk AI, but those conversations were mostly too vague. The humanoid robotic pavilion was more akin to a toy or game area. Some day, maybe.
Next year will be May in Las Vegas. I doubt that I’ll make that trip. There will not be any compensation to cover expenses, and I can cover any news through press releases.
by Gary Mintchell | Jun 16, 2026 | Business, Leadership, News, Productivity
Given my interests about manufacturing, Lean, strategy, leadership—and dealing with strong bosses with mental health issues—I couldn’t resist reading a promo copy of a book covering all of those. And, recommending it. Go, get the book, study it with your team. It’s that good.
Set up with an appointment by Meta’s Sheryl Sandberg, Jon McNeill met Elon Musk who said to him, “I have a problem with Tesla. I can’t get Model X doors to align.” Two hours later, Jon McNeill and Elon Musk were tackling the problem head-on and soon, Jon would join Elon as President of Global Sales, Marketing, Delivery & Service at Tesla (2015-2018).
McNeill, now CEO of DVx Ventures, who sits on boards at GM and Lululemon, says most companies are about to discover the same bottleneck Tesla hit: not enough skilled workers to execute complex processes. He explores this in his new book, THE ALGORITHM: The Hypergrowth Formula That Transformed Tesla, Lululemon, General Motors, and SpaceX (Portfolio; March 24, 2026). He details both the things he learned from Musk as well as the difficulties of working for someone with mental health issues.
The book is packed with stories showing (not telling) how leaders attack team problem solving with out-of-the-box thinking.
Try this on for size. At Tesla, the body shop required scores of robots and a team of robotics engineers to keep them synchronized. It was expensive, complex, and fragile. Jon’s team questioned whether the entire body shop could be eliminated (almost three football fields of warehouse space). The answer: casting. By reducing the chassis from 300 welded parts to 3 cast parts, Tesla simultaneously cut manufacturing costs 50% AND made the process more resilient (fewer dependencies, fewer failure points) by questioning requirements.
Gathering my thoughts, what more perfect time to publish this review than immediately following the Initial Public Offering of SpaceX (which includes xAI and X-Twitter). The trillion-dollar valuation also propels Elon Musk into the stratosphere of finance making him humanity’s first trillionaire.
Musk takes big risks on audacious goals. Enough pay off big to make up for the failures.
- The Algorithm? The five steps contain similarities to Lean and the Toyota Production System:
- Question requirements: Do we need this level of complexity?
- Delete steps: What can be eliminated before we relocate?
- Simplify: Can we redesign for fewer dependencies and lower skill requirements?
- Accelerate: What’s the constraint in a U.S. context? (Often: specialized labor)
- Automate last: Only after simplification should we consider technology (VERY IMPORTANT STEP TO NOT DO THIS FIRST!).
Here are a couple of relevant notes from the book:
Much of the genius in Musk’s companies comes from the legions of smart people empowered by the Algorithm. They’re chasing stretch goals with free license to question everything and innovate boldly.
The Algorithm features a set of best practices, yet one overarching idea infuses them all: Question the status quo.
by Gary Mintchell | Jun 12, 2026 | Commentary, Generative AI
Secularism, scientism, rationalist Richard Dawkins wants to end any influence of “religion.” In doing so, he actually tries to start a new religion. This new secular religion most likely began with French philosopher and mathematician René Descartes. The coterie of Silicon Valley Generative AI leaders follow those unfortunate footsteps.
Pope Leo XIV unhesitatingly issued a 42,000-word encyclical, ”Magnifica Humanitas,” in response to the challenges of artificial intelligence.
Cultural technology critic and professor of computer science Cal Newport wrote, “Last week, Pope Leo XIV released I’m still digesting the full document, but early summaries indicate that the Pope is not ready to meekly acquiesce to the AI future that we’ve been told is inevitable.”
Leo wrote, “With the heart of a shepherd and a father, I ask everyone to abandon the construction of yet another Tower of Babel and to join forces in building up the common good, so that humanity will never lose its beauty, and the world once again will come to recognize the human heart as the place where God desires to dwell.”
I’ve been involved with automation for more than 40 years. Its value has always been as a tool to remove humans from dangerous jobs, enhance consistent quality, and eventually providing necessary data to feed business systems. They are best when used to build up the common good.
I wrote a longer philosophical piece last week on the subject. I continue to caution us not to be distracted by the hype. Do not become distracted or distraught by momentary whims in media or by “influencers.”
Just as I wrote on another blog last week about how I’d love to see a huge outbreak of humility amongst us.
Is there some hope in the discourse? Newport concludes his essay this way.
“Thankfully, in recent weeks, there has been a marked shift in how technology executives talk about AI. Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang called BS on executives claiming they’re laying people off due to AI, calling the excuse ‘lazy’ and ‘just a way for them to sound smart.’ Perhaps even more surprising, just last week, Sam Altman admitted he had been ‘pretty wrong’ about his previous predictions that AI would automate large numbers of jobs.”
